Childline: Home alone – parents having to balance the demands of work and childcare

When trying to balance the conflicting demands of work and childcare, some parents might consider leaving their children home alone. But when is it safe to do this?

There is no legal age for leaving your child home alone, but the law says they must never be put at risk. At the NSPCC, we recommend not leaving children aged 12 and under on their own. Remember too that children aged six to 12 are usually too young to walk home from school alone or cook for themselves and might not know what to do in an emergency.

If a child has expressed concerns about being left alone, they should not be left on their own. Instead, consider leaving them at a friend’s house, with family, or finding suitable childcare.

Once your child reaches secondary school age, talk to them about how they would feel being left home alone. Even though they’re older, they might not feel safe being alone in the house. If they don’t feel ready or if you don’t feel they’re ready, they should not be left home alone.

If they are ready, remember it could be as unnerving for them as it is for you. Preparation is important, so discuss possible scenarios that might take place and how they would respond to them – would they know what to do if someone came to the door, for example?

Make sure they know what to do if there is an emergency. Ensure they have the emergency services and relevant contact numbers of family members or friends written down and ready to dial in case they can’t contact you.

Be clear about what time you’ll be returning and let them know if your plans change. Check in with them regularly too, to make sure they’re OK.

More information about when the time is right to leave your child on their own is available on the NSPCC website, along with a safety checklist and other tips.

Visit www.nspcc.org.uk/advice-for-families/home-alone or call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000.